Clamp attachment for pliers



Oct. 6, 1953 A. HUDNALL 2,654,280 CLAMP ATTACHMENT FOR PLIERS Filed March 28, 1952 ,2 mlm U 6 ]N VEN TOR. A L ro/v Hum/ALL BY ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 6, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLAMP ATTACHMENT FOR PLIERS Alton Hudnall, Denver, 0010. Application March 28, 1952, Serial No. 279,063

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to improvements in clamp attachments for pliers and has reference more particularly to an attachment by means of which an ordinary pair of pliers may be converted into a hand vise thereby greatly increasing the usefulness of the pliers.

There are in the hands of the public today very large numbers of pliers of various kinds many of which have been part of tool kits furnished with aultomobiles.

It is the object of this invention to produce a simple attachment that can be carried in the tool box or kept on the work bench and which can quickly and easily be applied to the handles of an ordinary pair of pliers for holding an article clamped in its jaws while the article is worked on for other purposes.

Another object is to produce an attachment that requires no change in the construction of the pliers, which is easily applied and removed and which will not become accidentally removed when in use.

In order to describe the invention so that its construction and mode of operation can be readily understood reference will now be had to the accompanying drawing in which the invention has been illustrated and in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an ordinary pair of pliers showing the attachment in place thereon;

Figure 2 an end view showing the relationship of the clamp device to the handles of the pliers;

Figure 3 is a view showing a modification of the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the lower or movable member being shown in section;

Figure 4 is a diagram showing a slightly modifled form.

Referring now to the drawing numerals 5 and 6 designate respectively the upper and the lower handles of a pair of pliers. The pliers shown is of a common and well known construction and is merely representative of pliers as a class and will therefore not be described in detail. The handles terminate in jaws 5a and 6a and move relative to each other about pivot 1. A nut 8 is shown clamped between the plier jaws.

The attachment consists of a bolt 9 having its upper end turned to one side as indicated by reference numeral l and is provided with an opening ll of the proper shape and size to receive the handle of the plier.

A plier handle grip I2 is slidably attached to the bolt as shown most clearly in Figure 3 and is held in place therein by a wing nut l 3. Member l2 has an opening [4 the same size and shape 2 as opening I I in part It and is also provided with an opening l5 through which the bolt extrudes. The axis of openings l 4 and l 5 are at right angles to each other.

The handles of practically all pliers are of oval or oblong cross section and are practically never circular and holes II and I4 are therefore of somewhat similar shape.

Let us now assume Ithat the clamp attachment is in position on the plier as shown in Figure 1 and the nut l 3 turned so as to put the bolt under tension.

From Figure 3 it will be seen that the hole in handle gri I2 through which the bolt passes is somewhat larger than the bolt so that it may tilt thereon. Hole [4 through which handle 6 passes should preferably fit the handle snugly. When the nut is turned to put the bolt under tension handle grip member [2 will tend toturn on on handle 6 and this will effect a binding action which causes it to grip the handle and thus prevent it from sliding along the handle. If end I0 were connected with the bolt by means of a pivot l6 as indicated in Figure 3 the torque produced would produce a gripping action similar to that described in connection with member 12. It has been found, however, that the gripping action of member I2 is suflicient to hold the attachment in place.

It is obvious that various modifications can be made without departing from the basic concept of the invention which in its broadest aspect comprises a bolt or other ltension member 9 with two laterally extending plier handle gripping members corresponding to l 0 and I2, one of which can be moved longitudinally by means of a nut, preferably a wing nut.

Attention is directed to the fact that the handle grips I0 and I2 extend laterally, as shown and described and that at least one can tilt relative to the bolt for this produces a gripping action on the handles and has other advantages that are apparent.

In Figure 4 a slightly modified form of the invention has been shown in which the plier handle grips I0 and I2 are identical and are slidably mounted on bolt 9 and separated by a helical compression spring [1. This embodiment is somewhat simpler than the others and is embraced in the claims.

It is also contemplated to provide the head of the bolt with wings and to provide plier handle grip l2 with threads in which case nut [3 may be dispensed with.

What is claimed as new is:

A clamp device for use with pliers having pivoted handles provided with opposing jaws at one end, said clamp device comprising, a bolt having one end provided with a laterally extending plier handle grip having an opening of the size and shape to receive a plier handle, a second laterally extending plier handle grip slidable on the bolt and tiltable relative thereto having a hole of-the size and shape to receive the other plier handle, the bolt having a threaded section, and means in engagement with the threads on the bolt for moving the plier handle grips towards each other when the means is turned relative to said bolt.

ALTON HUDNALL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 198,709 Thornton Dec. 25, 1877 10 91 ,041 Hall v,.-, FvMar. 2, 1909 1,049,277 Sharon "55",- Dee. 31, 1912 1,962,522 Paterson June 12, 1934 2,409,627 Helgeson Oct. 22, 1946 

